Letting the Budget Axe Fall upon the DHS Chief of Staff

Mr. Chairman, I rise to indicate that we will accept this [King amendment to cut $79,000 from the Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff], but I want to explain my reasoning, if I might, and explain it very carefully.

For 2 hours now we have sat in this Chamber and have heard Republican Members railing against the Bush administration. Member after Member after Member has risen in this Chamber to condemn Bush administration bureaucrats in unsparing terms, and not one voice on that side of the aisle has been raised in opposition, not one.

So, we are asking ourselves, how long are we going to defend a very carefully crafted bill that deals with the administration’s legitimate needs to administer its Department?